Here we go folks, entry number 7 in the United States County Project. What? You haven't heard about it? Well shucks! Maybe its time you did.... and then tell all your friends, especially those who like history and culture.
Here is how this project of mine goes. Each and every week (or more often), using a random number generator I pick one county from the United States and give a little bit of information on that county. I am going with five general pieces of information - historical, cultural, news, natural, political, etc. - to share about the county I choose. Ideally, I'll stick it out until every single county in the United States is completed.
Here we go, Round 7!
This entry is the seventh of the counties. The randomly selected celebrity county is...
Bowman County, North Dakota
Incorporated: 1883
Population: 3,151
Total Area: 1,167 square miles
County Seat: Bowman (pop: 1,650)
(1) Western Bowman County is home to an interesting bit of what I call "two-sided history", the one where the winner's get to write the story. Fort Dilts State Historic Site is the location of a battle between settlers / pioneers heading west and the Hunkpapa Sioux Indians in Dakota Territory. The settlers, heading west for gold in Montana and Idaho in ninety-seven wagons, were attacked by the Indians during the Dakota Conflict of 1862. During a sixteen day siege, nine settlers and two soldiers died. Eventually the Hunkpapa warriors retreated under threat from American cavalry, and the frightened settlers retreated back home as well. While the site is simply represented by a historical battle marker today, I wonder how the Sioux would commemorate this battle.
(2) Considered one of the best facilities in the state of North Dakota, the Bowman County fairgrounds hosts several events every year. Home to an all seasons indoor arena as well as an 800 seat outdoor arena, the grounds host the Bowman County PRCA Rodeo, Moto-Cross Races, Auctions, Shows, Cuttings, Barrel Racings, Ropings and weekly riders. The fairgrounds have a covered steel barn, steer barn, goat/pig barn, sheep barn, seasonal outdoor pens, a show ring with covered seating, and camping-hook ups.
(3) Good Time Radio! KPOK (1340 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Bowman, North Dakota, with five employees.
KPOK operates on the federally assigned frequency of 1340 AM with 1,000 Watts of Power. Playing a Mix of Great Country Music- The Best of the New and the Gold- It's Your Kind of Country! Covering Local News from SW North Dakota, NW South Dakota and SE Montana. Covering Local Sports from the Tri-State Area. KPOK is owned by Tri-State Communications Inc. KPOK was first heard on the Radio on August 9th, 1980.
(4) Bowman County is the state's second largest county in oil production. Oil and natural gas production and exploration are the county's largest employer directly behind agriculture, mostly wheat production and cattle. Oil production and exploration, as well as a diversified economy in North Dakota and Bowman County have helped the state wither the "great recession" better than other states in the nation. The county's unemployment rate is steady at or below 4% with the rate at currently 3.3% in the county.
(5) In an interesting piece of WWII history, the U.S.S. Bowman County was an L.S.T.-1 Class Tank Battleship named after the county in Southwest North Dakota. The ship served in three campaigns; first the Sicilian occupation, second the Salerno landings, and lastly the Normandy Landings on D-Day. After earning three battle stars for her service in the U.S. Navy, she was transferred to Greece in May 1960. Her fate is unknown.
Nice amount of history here in this county. And food! Casa Azteca, China 88, JaBR's Family Restaurant, Next Door Pizza, and more!
Hope this week's entry was as good for you as it was for me. See you soon, in another county, in another time.